Sheets



1952 A. c. HEYMERS 2,603,271

PR'ESS FOR CRUSHING CANS Filed Oct. 12, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Adolph C. Heymers IN VEN TOR.

BY Mt M 3 1952 A. c. HEYMERS PRESS FOR CRUSHING CANS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Oct. 12. 1950 Fig. 5

Adolph C. Heymers INVENTOR.

Q and Patented July 15, 1952 My invention relates to improvementsin presses for crushing tin cans, and the like.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a press for flattening discarded empty tin cans so that a large number of the same may be accumulated in a'receptacle for salvage, or other purposes. I

Another object is to provide a press forsuch a purpose equipped for ready secure attachment to therim of an ordinary trash receptacle, or the like, to extend across the mouth of the receptacle and'deposit crushed cans therein.

Another object is to'provide a press for the above specified purposes which is easy to operate, involves few parts of simple construction, and is inexpensive to manufacture and service.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification;

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in vertical sec- OFFICE lustrated, comprises," as its basic component, an

1 elongated U-shaped frame I of bar metal for'attion, partly inside elevation, illustrating my improved press attached to the rim of the receptacle, with the hand lever swung upwardly to space the movable presser plate away from the stationary presser plate for placing a can to be crushed between said plates upon the can supporting rods;

Figure 2 is a view in horizontal section, partly in plan, taken on a line 2-2 of Figure 1 and drawn to a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical transverse section taken on a line 33 of Figure 1 and drawn to a larger scale;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but drawn to a still larger scale and illustrating the hand lever swung downwardly to slide the movable pressure plate toward the stationary pressure plate for crushing a can between said plates;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on a line 5-5 of Figure l and drawn to a larger scale;

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the movable pressure plate viewed from the front thereof;

Figure 7 is a view in rear elevation of said pressure plate;

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of the can supporting rods and the bracket bar to which the same are fixed.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved press, in the preferred embodiment iltachment to the rim 2 of a relatively wider receptacle 3, such as an ordinary trash receptacle, to extend horizontally across the top of said receptacle. I

The frame I comprises a closed rear end 4 forming apart of .clamping means, presently further described, for attaching said end to the rim 2 'at one side of the receptacle 3 withith'e sides 6 of said frame I extending over and resting on said rim v2 at the other side of said receptacle. A central flat hook I on the closed end 4 of said frame I for engaging over and resting on the rim 2, and having a hand screw 8 therein for turning against the side of the receptacle 3 complete'sthe clamping means, the arrangement of which is such that by tightening'the hand screw 8, the rim 2 may be clamped between said hand screw 8 and the closed end 4 of said frame I, as best shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

A rectangular, stationary pressure plat i0 is mounted betweenthe sides 6 of the framell in vertical position for location at one side of the vertical center of the receptacle 3. The mounting for the stationary pressure plate comprises a right angled bracket bar II fitted between the sides 6 of said frame I and extending across said plate centrally thereof, said plate II being bolted to said bracket bar II, as at I2, and theends of said bracket bar bein'g'bolted to said sides 6, as at I3.

A movable pressure plate I4 is slidably mounted, in vertical position, on the sides 6 of the frame I between said sides for movement toward said stationary presser plate I0 to crush cans between said plates. The mounting for the movable presser plate I4 comprises a rectangular guide frame I5 extending centrally across the rear side of said plate I4 and suitably fixed thereto with ends I6 extending around the sides 6 of the frame I and slidable along said sides.

A U-shaped hand lever H, of bar metal, is pivoted at its ends, as at I8, to the sides 6 of the frame I adjacent the closed end 4 of said frame in straddling relation thereto and for swinging upwardly and downwardly on said frame I away from and toward the stationary presser plate Ill to slide the movable presser plate I4 away from and toward the stationary presser plate respectively.

A pair of fiat links I9 are pivoted at corresponding ends thereof, as at 20, to the sides of said lever I! with their other ends pivoted, as at 2|, to the ends I6 of the guide frame I5 so that upward and downward swinging of the hand lever I! will slide the movable presser plate l4 away from and toward the stationary presser plate I0 respectively.

A pair of horizontal can supporting rods 22 are suitably fixed at rear ends thereof to an inverted U-shaped bracket bar 23 suitably fixed in depending position to the sides 6 of said frame I between the movable presser plate [4 and the closed end 4 of said frame I, said rods 22 extending forwardly through apertures 24 in the movable presser plate 14 and having their front ends spaced from the stationary presser plate 10 to permit cans, after being crushed, to fall between said front ends and said plate In into the receptacle 3, all in a manner presently clear.

A pair of horizontal, vertically spaced can crimping bars 25 are suitably fixed to the front side of the movable presser plate 14 over the can supporting rods H and in vertically spaced relation to bite into the cans and crimp the same so as to prevent the cans from falling until completely crushed.

To operate the described press, the hand lever I1 is swung upwardly into substantiall the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, to slide the movable presser plate [4 rearwardly away from the stationary presser plate l9, while at the same time causing the can supporting rods 22 to project forwardlyof the movable presser plate it. A can 26 to be crushed is then placed on the projecting can supporting rods 22 with its sides facing the presser plates I'll, l4 and said can loosely fitted between said plates, as shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2. The hand lever l l is then swung downwardly, as shown in Figure 4, to slide the movable presser plate M toward the stationary presser plate In 'until the can 26 is completely crushed fiat between said plates, as shown in Figure 4. As the movable presser plate [4 is so slid, it shoves the can 26, when crushed, off the can supporting rods 22 and the can crimping bars 25 by biting into and grooving the can, as shown in Figure 4, hold said can againstaccidental slipping downwardly until the can is completely crushed. When the can 26 is completely crushed flat, the hand lever l [is swung upwardly to slide the movable presser plate It away from the stationary presser plate In and thus release the crushed can 26 to fall through the space between the front ends of said rods 22 and said stationary presser plate I4, and drop into the receptacle 3.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to 1mpart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A press for crushing tin cans comprising an elongated skeleton frame for mounting on the top of a receptacle for the crushed cans, means for attaching one end of said frame to the rim of the-receptacle, a vertical stationary presser plate between the sides of the frame fixed thereto, a

movable presser plate between the sides of the frame, means slidably mounting said movable plate on the sides of the frame for movement toward and away from said stationary plate to crush a can between said plates and release the same respectively, a bracket suspended from said frame, and cansupporting rods carried by said bracket and along which said movable plate slides to shove the cans off said rods after the cans are crushed.

2. A press according to claim 1 wherein said movable plate is apertured and said rods extend through said apertures to prevent the can during crushing thereof from catching between said rods and said movable plate.

ADOLPH C. HEYMERS.

REFERENCES CITED Y The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,128,630 Wright Aug. 30, 1938 2,246,394 Steele June 17, 1941 2,275,461 Palmer Mar. 10, 1941 2,466,907 Nodolny et a1 Apr. 12, 1949 2,493,193 Hait Jan. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 26,206 Great Britain Aug. 19, 1909 

